Reopened movie theaters are eager for more business

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI)- The sweet smell of movie theater popcorn is back as theaters reopen.

After being closed for several months theatres are slowly getting into the swing of filling seats again. Movie theaters have reopened their doors to the public. The customers were happy to be back.

“It’s pretty normal I didn’t have any problem it wasn’t very full. I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all,” said one moviegoer Jeff Jackson.

“It was a little weird at first like we came in and it definitely was different but it’s also nice to get back to doing something that you enjoy doing so much,” said moviegoer Jennifer Waller.

Some theaters reopened last year, but there are still challenges.

“We were allowed to reopen in August when they started lifting restrictions some, but it’s just been difficult because no movies coming out and stuff,” said Hollywood Premier Cinema’s assistant manager Arianna Sanders.

Sanders said with fewer movies being released has slowed down crowds. Some big releases could change that.

“We were very hopeful that Wonderwoman would do well and it was kind of a flop, but with Rye of the Last Dragon and Tom and Jerry we’ve definitely seen more of a pickup; so we’re hoping in the next couple of weeks we’ll see more of the normal crowds we’re used to,” said Sanders.

The theater is on a reduced schedule – open for now on Tuesday and the weekend. Sanders said despite that schedule they are beginning to gain more business.

“We’ve had to order more lately we’ve been busier on our shift were as there would be more downtime before we’ve actually been able to start hiring new people back,” said Sanders.

Sanders encourages the public to be patient with them as they are in the process of getting their theater back to normal capacity, but in the meantime, they are doing what they can to stay afloat.  The theater is hopeful for more new releases and the staff says they anticipate more people to come as covid restrictions continue to ease.